Hydraulic actuating mechanism for machine tools



Oct. 22, 1935. D H WE 2,017,999

HYDRAULIC ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TGOLS Filed April 22, 1931 4Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 22, 1935 H WEST 2,017,999

HYDRAULIC ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed April 22, 1931 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 22, 1935. H WEST 2,017,999

HYDRAULIC ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed April-22, 1951 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 22, 1935. T 2,017,999

HYDRAULIC ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS Filed April 22, 1931 4Sheets-Sheet 4 'll'lluliiiii Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES-ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS HYDRAULIC Donald H. West,Marlboro, Mass., assignor to The Lapointe Machine Tool Company, Hudson,Mass, a corporation of Maine Application April 22, 1931, Serial No.532,001

1 Claim.

This invention relates to actuating mechanism for a machine tool havinga reciprocated tool carrier or work-supporting member, such as a shaper,planer or grinder..

It is the general object'of my invention to provide improved hydraulicactuating mechanism for the reciprocated member in such a machine tool.1

I A further object is to provide hydraulic actuating mechanism sodesigned that the speed and working power of the reciprocated member maybe varied without substantially changing the speed or the, powerconsumption of the pump which supplies hydraulic pressure.

Another important feature of the invention relates to the provision ofhydraulically actuated feeding means for the tool and work, operable intimed relation to the movement of the reciprocated member.

a My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of partswhich will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out inthe appended claim.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in whichFig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of a shaper embodying myimprovements:

Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view, looking in the direction of the arrow'3 inFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional plan view, taken along the line 44 in Fig.1; I

Fig. 4 is a detail plan view, looking in the direction of the arrow 4-in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of the hydraulic mechanism and thecontrol valves there-v in guideways 24 on the front of the casing 20. Atool T is mounted in a tool holder 25 secured to a vertically movabletool holder 26. The holder 26 may be vertically adjusted manually in'guideways on the front end of a ram 21 by means of a feed screw 28 andhandle 29. v

The ram 21 is slidable in guideways 30 (Fig. 2) formed on the bed orcasing 20 and is provided largement of the piston rod 60.

with dogs 3| and 32, longitudinally adjustable in v a slotted guidemember 33 mounted on the side of the ram and movable therewith. The dogs3| and 32 alternately engage a roll 34 (Fig. 3) on an arm 35 secured tothe upper end of an upright 5 shaft 36. An arm 31 (Fig. 4) is secured tothe shaft 36within the casing 20 and actuates a valve mechanism to bedescribed.

The feed screw 28, which effects vertical feed of the tool holder 26, isconnected by bevel gears 10 40 (Fig. 1) to a short shaft 4|, which inturn is connected by bevel gears 42 to an upright shaft 43 having aratchet wheel 44 secured to its upper end. The ratchet wheel 44 isintermittently advanced by a feed pawl 45 (Fig. 4 mounted'on 15 a feedlever 46 which has a pin and slot connection with a piston rod llextending into a cylinder 48 on the ram 21, and which is connected to apiston 49 (Fig. 5) in said cylinder. A spring 53 normally holds the feedpawl in withdrawn or 20 initial position.

' The cross feed of the work support 2i is effected by a feedscrew'having a ratchet wheel 52 (Fig. 1) mounted thereon and engaged bya feed pawl 53 pivoted on a feed lever 54. The lever 25 54 is connected.by a link '55 to a piston rod 56 extending into a cylinder or casing 51and connected to a piston 58 (Fig. 5 therein). A stop screw 59adjustably limits the rearward or idle return movement of the piston 58,piston rod 56 so and feed pawl 53.

A piston rod 60 (Figs. 1 and 5) is threaded into a lug or projection tion the inside of the ram 21 and extends through a suitable stufilng boxinto a main cylinder 63, where it is connected to a 35 piston 64,preferably formed as an integral en-" The rod 60 has an axial passage85, open at the is threaded into the lug 6|. A side outlet or port 66 isprovided, however, at the closed left hand end, which port is connectedby a pipe 61 to the rear end of the cylinder 48 which actuates the feedpawl for lowering the tool T. 45

When liquid under pressure is forced through the pipe 61 into thecylinder 48, the piston 49 is moved to the left against the pressure ofthe spring to give the feed pawl a feeding movement. As soon as thepressure is relieved, the 50 spring returns the piston to its right handor initial position.

The limit of return movement is determined by engagement of the piston49 with the end of a sleeve 68. threaded on an adjusting screw 60. 56

The screw 89 extends through a packing box in the end of the cylinder 48and is provided with a flange I0 engaging the inner end of the cylinder.The sleeve 68 is held from rotation by a projection on the end of ascrew 'II, which projection extends into a. longitudinal slot in thesleeve 68 and acts as a key therefor. The sleeve 68 is of less diameterthan the internal diameter of the cylinder 48,,thus affording an annularpassage for the liquid delivered under pressure from the pipe 61.

By turning the knurled head I2 of the adjusting screw 69, the axialposition of the sleeve 68 may be varied, thereby varying the amount oftool feed for each actuation of the piston 49. A shoulder 14 on thepiston rod 41 limits feeding movement of thepiston to the left. The lefthand end'of the cylinder 48 is provided with a vent or drain I5 alwaysopen to the atmosphere, so that the left hand end of the cylinder 48 isalways at atmospheric pressure and any leakage past the piston 49 willbe drained away.

The left hand end of the main cylinder 83 (Fig. 5) is provided with aport I1, connected by a pipe I8 to a recess o'r chamber I9 in a valveblock 80. The right hand or rear end of the cylinder 83 is similarlyconnected by a pipe 8| to a recess or chamber 82 in the valve block 80.A pressure chamber 84 in the lower part of the valve block is connectedby a pipe to the delivery port -of a pump P, continuously actuatedby amotor The pump P may be of any suitable type but is preferably amultiple piston variable delivery pump of the type shown in my priorPatent No. 1,722,832, issued July 30, 1929. For the purposes of thisapplication, it is only necessary to state that the pump is adapted todeliver oil or other liquid under pressure at a predetermined rate,which rate may be varied by turning the hand wheel 81 shown in Fig. 2,thereby varying .the angular position of a support for a rotating platewhich actuates the multiple pistons of the pump.

At any given manual setting, the pump will deliver a substantiallyconstant and predetermined volume of liquid against any pressure withina reasonable range. For a more complete description of the pump,reference is made to my prior patent above mentioned.

The motor M may be connected to the pump P through a driving belt orchain 88, and the hand wheel 81 is connected to thapumpthrough a shaft89 (Fig. 1) gear 90, pinion 9|, worm 92 and worm wheel 93.

The cross feed cylinder 51 is connected at its right hand end through apipe (Fig. 5) to a passage 96 in the valve block 80, which passagecommunicates with the recess82 previously described. The left hand endof the cylinder 51 is similarly connected through a pipe 91 to a crosspassage 98, leading to annularports in an upper cylinder I00 and a lowercylinder I0 I in the valve block 80.

Admission of oil or other liquid under pressure through the pipe 95 tothe right hand end of the cylinder 51 will give the cross feed pawl 53an operative movement, and admission of oil under pressure to the pipe91 will give the piston 58 and feed pawl 53 a return movement.

Ports I02 and I03 connect the pressure chamber 84 (Fig. 5) to the lowercylinder IOI, and ports I04 and I05 connect the chamber I9 to the uppercylinder I 00. A port I06 similarlyconnects the chamber 82 to the uppercylinder I00.

Additional cross passages I07, I08 and I09-conmeet the upper and lowercylinders I00 and IN to each other.

The lower cylinder MI is provided with exhaust ports H0 and III, and theupper cylinder I00 5 is provided with an exhaust port II2, all connectedto an exhaust or return pipe I I4 by which the oil or other liquid isreturned to a reservoir or supply tank II5 (Fig. 1), from which it isagain drawn into the pump P through a feed 10 pipe H8.

The upper cylinder I00 in the valve block 80 is provided with a pistonrod I20 connected to the arm 31 (Fig. 4) previously described andcontrolled in position by the reversing dogs 3I and 15 32. Pistons I2I,I22, I23 and I24 are mounted in spaced relation on the valve rod I20 andcollectively constitute an automatically controlled reversing valve.

The lower cylinder IOI is provided with a valve rod I30 connected to anarm I3I (Fig. l) on a cross shaft I32 having a handle I33 (Fig. 2) atits outer end, by which the position of the piston rod I30 may bevaried. The piston rod I30 is provided with pistons I35, I38, I31 andI38 25 mounted in spaced relation and collectively forming a speedcontrol valve, manually adjustable by means of the handle I33.

Automatic or manual shifting of the upper or reversing valve causes'areversal in direction of 50 movement of the ram 21, and manual movementof the lower or speed control valve causes the ram 21 to operate at highspeed or low speed or to come to rest at any point in its path ofmovement.

The pump P supplies oil or liquid under pressure continuously to thelower or pressure chamber 84 in the valve block 80.

High speed forward operation Assuming that a forward or cutting strokeat 5 high speed is to take place, both the reversing valve and the speedcontrol valves will be moved to the left hand position indicated in Fig.9. In this position, the pressure chamber 84 will be connected throughthe port I03, cross passage 50 I09, and port I06 to the chamber 82, andthrough the'pipe 8I to the right hand end of the .cyiinder 83. At thesame time, the left hand end of the cylinder 63 is connected through thepipe I8 to the chamber I9 in the valve block- 80, and this 55 chamber I9is connected through the port I05 and cross passage I08 to the lowercylinder and thence through the cross passage I09 and pipe 8| back tothe right hand end of the cylinder 83.

A movement of the piston 84 to the left dis- 50,

places the oil in the left hand end of the cylinder 83 and causes it tocirculate around through the various described connections back to theright hand end of the cylinder. The amount ,of

' oil necessary to be added to the system to ad- 'vance the piston afull stroke'to the left is the of the piston was delivered to thestorage res- 76 l 2,017,999 ervoirinstead of being returned to theoperating circuit.- At a given rate of oil delivery,'the piston and tooltravel twice as fast but with less power.

As soon as oil under pressureis admitted to the chamber 82 (Fig. 9), aportion of this oil flows through the pipe 95 to the right hand end ofthe cross feed cylinder 51, advancing the piston 58 to actuate the-crossfeed. The return from the left hand end of the cylinder 51 flows throughthe pipe 91 to the cross passage 98 and escapes through the annularenlargement of the port I82 to the pressure chamber 84. While the oilpressures in the pipes 95 and 91 are thus equal, the feeding stroke ofthe piston 58 is effected by the much larger area of the right hand endof the piston.

As soonas oil under pressure is delivered through the pipe 8| to theright hand end of the cylinder 63, a portion of this oil flows throughthe small axial passage 65 to the pipe 81 and thence to the right handend of the tool feed cylinder 48, advancing the piston 49 against theresistance of the spring 58 and giving the tool a downward movement.

It will be noted that these feeding strokes take place as soon as oilunder pressure is admitted to the chamber 82 and pipe 8|. On account ofthe small size and relatively slight resistance of the pistons 49 and58, the feed takes place before the ram 21 is fairly under way.

While the connections described enable me to operate both the cross feedand the tool feed at the beginning of each operative movement of theram, the simultaneous operation of both feeds is not usually desired.Either feed may be rendered inoperative by throwing over the feed pawlsto inoperative position, so that either the tool feed or the cross feedmay be used separately, or both pawls may be disabled while the feed isaccomplished manually. I

Reverse movement At the end of the operative stroke, the upper .theposition shown in Fig. 10, in which oil from the pressure chamber 84flows through the port I83, cross passage I88, and port I85 to thechamber 19 and thence through the pipe 18 to theleft hand end of thecylinder 63. At the same time, the right hand end of the cylinder 68 isconnected through the pipe 8|, chamber 82 and port I86 to the exhaustport II2, through which the oil at the right of the piston escapes tothe exhaust pipe H4.

The chamber 19 is also connected through the .port I84 and cross passage98 to the pipe 91 which connects to the left hand end of the cross feedcylinder 51, while the pipe 95-connects the right hand end of thecylinder 51 through the chamber 82 to the exhaust II4, as previouslydescribed. The piston 58 is thereby returned to initial position.

Similarly, the tool feed cylinder 48 is connected through the pipe 61and axial passage 65 to the right hand end of the cylinder 63, which isconnected to the exhaust as previously 'described. Consequently thespring 58 in the cylinder48 is efiective to cause a return of the piston49 and tool feed pawl 45 to initial position.

As the full delivery of the pump is delivered against the reduced areaof the left hand face of the piston 64, the return of the ram and toolis accomplished at relatively high 'speed.

3 Slow speed jorwa'rd operation in its left hand or forward position, asin Fig. 9

previously described, but the lower or speed control valve is shown inits mid-position.

Oil from the pressure chamber 84 flows through the port I83, crosspassage I89 and port I86 to 10 the chamber 82, and through the pipe 8|to the right hand end of the cylinder 58. The left hand end of thecylinder is connected through the pipe 18, chamber 19, port I84, crosspassage I81 and exhaust port II8 to the exhaust pipe H4. 15 Consequentlythere is no transfer of oil from one side of the piston 64 to the other,and the pump operates directly tomove the piston 54 by filling the righthand end of the cylinder. The movement of the piston 54 and ram 21 is 0at a slower rate but with greater power than when the valves arearranged for high speed operation as shown in Fig. 9 and previouslydescribed.

The cross feed and tool feed connections are the same as in Fig. 9 andoperate in the same way to give a feeding stroke of either or both ofthese devices at the very beginning of the movement of the ram.

Return movement 36 I In Fig. 12 I have shown the valve positions for areturn movement after a slow speed cutting stroke. The lower valveremains in mid-position, as in Fig. 11, but the upper or reversing valveis shifted to its right hand position. The pressure chamber 84 is 'nowconnected through the port I82, cross passage 98 and port I84 to thechamber 19 and through the pipes 18 to the left hand end of the cylinder63, while the right hand end of the cylinder is connected through thepipe 8i, chamber 82 and ports 186 and M2 to the exhaust pipe H4.

The connections to the tool feed and cross feed cylinders are aspreviously described in connection with the high speed return shown inFig. 10. M

As the full flow of the pump is delivered against the reduced left handside of the piston 64, while the right hand end of the cylinder 53 isdirectly connected to the exhaust, the return movement will be at thesame high speed as the 50 return after a high speed cutting stroke.

Neutral position haust pipe H4, thus by-passing the discharge 55" of thepump P. The pressure chamber 84 remains connected to the right hand endof the cylinder 68 through the cross passage I89, chamber 82 and pipe8I. Exhaust from the left hand end of the cylinder 68 is prevented, dueto the 7 fact that the exhaust connections from the chamber 19 areclosed by the piston I22 of the upper or reversing valve and by thepistons I95 and I81 of the lower or speed control valve.

Consequently. no further forward movement of 7 the ram or tool can takeplace, even if some slight pressure is exerted against the right handface of the piston 64.

If the ram 21 is moving rearward when the lower or feed control valve isshifted to neutral po3ition, as indicated in Fig. 5, the pressurechamber 84 is again connected through the ports I03 and ill to theexhaust pipe Ill. The right hand end of the cylinder 63 is connectedthrough or speed control valve is moved to the neutral positionindicated in Figs. 5 or 8.

I Conclusion Having described the details of construction and operationof my improved hydraulic actuating mechanism as applied to a shaper, itwill be evident that this improved mechanism enables me to move a ram orother member in one direction at either high or low speed, and also toautomatically reverse the movement and to return the memher at highspeed to initial position, all without variation in the speed or outputof the pump. I am also able to stop themachine at any desired point ofits stroke when moving in either direction, simultaneously by-passingthe output of the pump.

Furthermore, the changes in connections between high speed and low speedoperation are such that the same output of the pump is utilized toproduce a high or a low speed movement of the ram and the load on thepump remains substantially constant. The power of the ram is variedinversely to the speed.

Having thus described my invention and the 5 advantages thereof, I donot wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise thanas set forth in the claim, but what I claim is:-

In a machine having a reciprocating member and an actuating mechanismtherefor including a cylinder and piston by which all movements of saidmember are effected and said piston having a piston rod extending outthrough one end only of said cylinder, in combination, means to supplyliquid under pressure and at a constant rateto said cylinder, andcontrol valve mechanism including a. speed control valve, a reversingvalve, and liquid-conducting connections between said valves and saidcylinder, said reversing valve being located in said connections betweensaid speed control valve and said cylinder, said control and reversingvalves being movable to diiferent positions and thereby establishingdifferent liquid circuits through said connections between said valvesand the two ends of said cylinder, said control and reversing valves inone position connecting the two ends of said cylinder and effecting aworking stroke of said reciprocating member in one direction at arelatively high speed by delivery of liquid under pressure to saidcylinder at a constant rate, and said control and reversing valves in asecond relative position connecting the piston rod end of said cylinderto the exhaust and effecting a working stroke of said reciprocatingmember at a relatively low speed in the same direction by delivery ofliquid to saidcylinder at the same rate, and said control and reversingvalves in a third relative position connecting the' piston rod end tothe pressure supply and the pressure end 40 to the exhaust and effectingreturn movement of said reciprocating member by delivery of liquid tosaid cylinder at the same rate.

DONALD H. WEST.

